The Coffehouse
by Mesoforte
Summary: The story of a boy seeking revenge for his father's death in a city completely controlled by gangs. AU
1. Snowfall

Disclaimer- I don't own Golden Sun  
  
I know that it's been awhile, so I started this new story to make up for the wait. Please enjoy this new modern AU.  
  
Snowfall  
  
Snow fell lightly onto and around the concrete buildings of Prox, covering the urban center in a shower of soft ice. There was no moonlight to show the black limo that cruised through the streets carefully; the slight squelches of its worn wheels the only way to track it. Suddenly, it came to a rapid halt, right beside a dank alleyway.  
  
The closest door flew open, a tall man in a black suit stepping out and holding the door open. Moments later, a large brown bundle was thrown out, landing directly beside the trash. It convulsed for a few moments, only stopping when the man punched downward into the bag. No words were wasted as the tall man reentered the vehicle, closing the door behind him. Slowly, the limo pulled away, a gloved hand waving at the discarded refuse.  
  
===

"Garet!" a young auburn haired girl screamed from inside the steamy kitchen into the cozy living room, causing the soft glow of the fire to flicker in the ornate fireplace.  
  
"What is it, my love," a tall man stood from his comfortable leather chair, his tall spiky red hair almost touching the ceiling. Reluctantly, he trudged towards the kitchen, dusting off his loose white shirt and checking his brown jeans for any dirt.  
  
"I need you to take out the garbage," this stopped Garet just before he entered the dining area, a soft groan of annoyance echoing through the small apartment.  
  
"Can't it wait, Jenna?" he pleaded quietly, hoping his fiancé would not hear his protest.  
  
Seconds later, the girl exploded from the kitchen, her brown eyes burning harshly as she glared at Garet. Quickly, she rolled the sleeves of her white apron up, bringing her fists in an aggressive manner before her. "Take out the trash now!" she yelled, proceeding towards her love, only stopping to pick up the nearest blunt object. Unfortunately for Garet, she picked up a metal poker and started herding him out the door with random thrusts.  
  
"I love you!" Garet yelled back vainly as he sprinted toward the door, grabbing a small bag of garbage in his way out. Once he was safely outside, he sighed dreamily, whispering into the falling snow, "I love you, but I sometimes wish that you'd take up an anger management class."

Garet slowly descended the metallic steps, ignoring the harsh wind biting into his skin. A gunshot sounded in between the gusts, but he ignored, his life in Prox having already adjusted him to the brawls between clans. He himself was of the Mars Syndicate, though the only way a person could tell was the pendant of a burning flame on his necklace. Not that many people paid any attention to it though, especially since the dominating faction in Prox was Mars.  
  
Suddenly, Garet hit the end of the stairway, his brown boots crunching the snow rather loudly, despite the howling winds. He awkwardly walked towards the large trash bin, something about the area seeming different from previous evenings. Quickly, he threw the onyx bag into the bin, scanning the alleyway afterward for anyone's presence. A rather large bundle caught his attention as his brown eyes scanned the ground. Quietly, he stalked towards the brown bag, his entire mind focused on its contents.  
  
"What is in you?" he wondered as his gloved hand tugged at the stings on the top, allowing the mouth to open and reveal a shock of spiky blonde hair. Garet stood still for a moment, shocked into a stupor at the strange sight before him. However, he speedily broke from his ponderings, picking up his find and the bag in a quick swoop and starting back up to his apartment.  
  
===

"Did you take it out, dear?" Jenna called from the kitchen when Garet reentered; stopping in her work to make sure that he had done his job.  
  
"Yes," Garet paused uncertainly, not sure how to introduce his unconscious guest. "Can you please come here a moment, Jenna."  
  
"What do you need?" Jenna slowly walked from the kitchen, her hands pulling her long hair into a high ponytail. She stopped suddenly as she saw the boy lying on the floor, horrified at the sight of the bruises that covered his face and the crimson slashes in his dark blue shits and his jeans. Strangely, the yellow scarf was wrapped around his neck was spared from the carnage that his body seemed to have suffered.  
  
"I found him beside the dumpster," Garet explained as he checked the boys pulse, feeling only a faint beat. "We need to take him to a hospital."  
  
"No!" Jenna snapped, noticing the faint lines of a necklace under his shirt. She knelt carefully beside the blonde boy, carefully pulling the necklace out to reveal a golden pendant shaped as a sharp dagger hanging downward. "A Venus Clan member would be shot the second that the doctors noticed this."  
  
"But we can't leave him to die," Garet protested, though he knew Jenna was right.  
  
"What about Mia?" Jenna stood, reaching for her jacket. "She used to be a nurse."  
  
"Alright," Garet agreed as he and Jenna supported the boy between them and headed out the door into the freezing cold.  
  
===

The skies were clearing as Garet and Jenna reached their destination, a small cafe with a bright neon sign that read 'The Golden Sun' in bright yellow letters. The group passed this, heading out to the back. A small house sat in the empty lot behind it, its wood rotting all throughout the rectangle building. The new snow hid the broken shingles on the pointed roof, though it wouldn't conceal them for long. The steps creaked loudly from the groups combined weight as they ascended the steps, the entire front porch groaning as they approached the front door.  
  
"Mia!" Garet yelled as he banged on the door, almost knocking it from its hinges. "Are you home?"  
  
"Calm down, Garet," Jenna berated, shifting the unconscious boy's weight to a more comfortable spit.  
  
"Coming," a melodious female voice called softly from the house, light footsteps following until the padding reached the door. A single lock was released, allowing the door to open outward and revealing a cerulean haired woman clothed in a casual purple shirt and white jeans. Her pale complexion brightened when she saw her friends, though her sapphire eyes gained a worried hue when she caught sight of the third person.  
  
"We need your help," Jenna pleaded to her friend, already knowing that Mia would always do her best to aide anyone.  
  
"Bring him into the living room and place him on the couch," Mia politely ordered, already swooping into the house. As soon as the boy was on the couched, Mia checked over his body, noting the cuts that seemed to have healed over and the bruises that were in sight.  
  
"We need to wash him first," Mia started up, heading to her bathroom with Jenna while Garet carried the boy. The water was already being drawn in the green tub when Garet entered the room. As soon as it was full, Mia turned off the faucet, motioning for Garet to strip the boy while she and Jenna turned around. Garet placed him into the tub after he finished, allowing Mia to take over washing him.  
  
"Why didn't you take him to the hospital?" Mia asked as she scrubbed the dirt off the boy's skin, her mind focused on her work.  
  
"He is with the Venus Clan," Jenna took at out the necklace she had found earlier and deposited it in Mia's slim hand.  
  
"I see," Mia frowned slightly, small wrinkles forming on her forehead. She deposited the necklace in her pocket, promising to return it to him.  
  
===

A few hours later, all four were in the living room, with the boy resting on the couch in fresh clothes and Jenna, Garet, and Mia sitting next to the fireplace in old wooden chairs. They spike quietly, trying not to wake the boy as they discussed what to do with him.  
  
"He can stay here until he gets better," Mia offered, though the other two did not seem to agree with her.  
  
"Won't that be a burden to you?" Jenna asked her friend concernedly, trying to dissuade her.  
  
"The house is lonely without anyone here," Mia argued.  
  
"Alright," Garet agreed with her, though Jenna still seemed worried. "But we'll come by everyday to check on you two."  
  
"Thanks," Mia smiled gleefully, leading her friends to the door. "See you tomorrow."  
  
Hope you enjoyed it! Now review!


	2. Watching

Disclaimer- I don't own Golden Sun.

Sorry for the late update.

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Watching

Night passed slowly in the small shack, with Mia carefully keeping an eye on her patient as he slept fitfully. The small fire in the stone fireplace crackled slightly every time the boy shuddered, accenting the pain of his nightmare.

---

_Lightning flashed sharply in the dismal meadow, shattering the peace of the boy's dream in an instant. The vociferous thunder followed afterward, shaking the grey grasses with every boom. Finally, the rain started to fall; highlighting two distant figures though the drops._

_A single man stood in the center of the field, his featureless face seeming to growl at the dark shadow towering over him. The held out his hands, as if he was defending a precious treasure before the shadow engulfed him._

'_Father!' a childish voice screamed though the dream, before it shattered into a complete nightmare._

---

Mia steadily sat down next to the teen, brushing his spiky hair from his tan face and wiping the sweat from his brow.He shuddered under her light touch, his entire body convulsing from the contact. A tiny frown crossed Mia's face as she held the boy's arms down, despite his unconscious protests.

"What's wrong?" Mia asked the sleeping boy, holding his body still with her hands and trying to read the silent words his mouth was forming.

A sudden knock on the door interrupted Mia's thoughts, making her release the blonde boy and walk towards the door. She straightened her clothes, reaching to open the old door. Silently, she wondered who would be out this late at night.

"I have come to collect your payment," a deep sinister male voice called as the door creaked open, the pale moonlight flowing softly over his long cerulean hair and his black suit.

"I'm sorry, Alex," Mia bowed to the tall man, "but I didn't make enough this week."

Alex paused thoughtfully, his sapphire eyes glowing eerily before he pushed past Mia and into the house. "Mia," Alex sighed when was inside, "you would not have to worry about the payments if you would just join the Mercury Clan."

"I..." Mia started to explain herself before a sharp groan erupted from the next room, attracting Alex's attention.

"What was that?" Alex spun, rushing down the hallway and opening the door to the room where the boy was.

"Wait," Mia ran in before Alex, standing in between the moaning boy and Alex, her arms held out defensively towards Alex. Quickly, she started sifting through her mind for an excuse, but none presented itself.

"Who is this?" Alex's voice grew a furious tone, his eyes burning with anger at the unconscious teen. His right hand quickly went into his black suit's pocket, his fingers grasping a gun's cold handle.

"He's my cousin," Mia quickly thought of a lie, hoping to protect her ward, "from the country."

"Humph," Alex turned from the two, shaking his head in annoyance. Slowly he headed back into the hallway, calling out to Mia as he left. "Would you mind walking me out?"

"Okay," Mia nervously followed him to the door, relaxing once they had stepped out into the frigid wind.

"Have the payment ready by next week," Alex whispered before he left, trudging through the snow back towards the street.

---

"Where am I?" the boy wondered aloud as his bleary vision cleared in the dim light, only a candle beside him illuminating the surrounding darkness. Slowly he stood, trying his best to retain his balance, fighting against the sharp pain searing through his head. Loudly, he staggered through the darkness, exploring the house he was trapped in. The blonde boy opened every door he came to, peering into the dark rooms as he explored the house. Finally, he came upon the door at the end of the hallway, a loud creak heralding its opening.

"Oh, you're up," Mia was lying in her bed, reading a green book by candlelight. Instantly, she stood the white sheets, her violet nightgown trailing softly after. "Do you feel any better?"

The teen nodded dumbly at her question, his azure eyes locked on the seraphic girl. A few seconds passed before he spoke in a bewildered tone, "Where am I, and who are you?"

Mia smiled lightly, stepping closer to the confused teen. "I am Mia Luna," she then motioned to the room around her, "and this is my house. Who are you?"

"I'm Isaac," the boy paused on his last name, looking at Mia's innocent face with a trickle of suspicion before he finished, "Isaac Sol."

"Nice to meet you," Mia reached out and shook his hand, smiling. Before Isaac could respond, she was already dragging him towards the kitchen, "You must be hungry."

---

Jenna and Garet arrived hours later, introducing themselves to Isaac and explaining how he had arrived at Mia's house. However, soon the others started asking Isaac why he was in Prox.

"I came here to find a friend," Isaac answered mysteriously, still mistrusting his rescuers. The answer was accepted though, and the group ate in peace, not knowing of the eyes locked on them from outside.

---

"It is him," Alex cursed from the alleyway, putting away his binoculars. "How did he survive?"

"Revenge can drive men beyond death," a venomous voice hissed from the shadows. "He will not leave until he avenges his father's murder."

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That's it for this chapter.

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Reviewer's Responses-

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Isaac's Girlfriend- Thanks for the review.

LordSun- I typed it up in notepad, so there were a lot of mistakes. Thanks for the review.

luner- No there is no psynergy. Thanks for the review.

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Seeya Later.


	3. Ordinary

Disclaimer- I don't own Golden Sun.

Sorry for the late update. Hopefully, my new Sony VIO will ensure more consistent updates in the future.

--

Ordinary

The night passed slowly as the four conversed loudly, their voices reverberating through the house's corridors and out into the clear night. Isaac listened to his new friends talk about past memories, trying his best to keep them away from any talk of his past. Eventually, it was time for Garet and Jenna to take their leave, though they were reluctant to. For some reason, the solitary Isaac was easy to trust, but their instincts still held out against leaving him alone with Mia.

"Are you sure that you don't want us to stay the night?" Jenna questioned after Mia had walked her and Garet outside. "It wouldn't be any trouble."

"No," Mia shook her head softly at her friend's concern, shaking her cerulean hair lightly. She embraced her friend tightly, whispering confidently, "I trust him."

"I see that you have taken a liking to your guest already," Garet joked, laughing deeply when he saw the blush spread across Mia's face. He tossed a large paper bag to her, still grinning broadly. "These are some of my brother's old clothes. They should be the perfect fit."

"Thank you," Mia waved goodbye to her friends, walking back into the old house, ignoring its groans of protest. Quickly she made her way to the living room to find Isaac already walking out, his head bowed respectively.

"I am sorry for the trouble I've caused you," he started, already heading towards the hallway. "Goodbye and thank you for your hospitality."

"Wait," Mia jumped in front of Isaac, holding her arms out to stop him. "You're in no condition to travel."

"Yes I am," Isaac argued, trying to brush past the stubborn woman in front of him. "I need to find someone as soon as possible."

"No," Mia pushed Isaac down with surprising force, knocking flat on the couch and sitting on his stomach to stop him from moving. "You haven't even recovered enough strength to walk straight."

"I know," Isaac yelled harshly, before finishing in a lower voice. "However, I cannot stop until my task is complete."

"If you told me who you were looking for, I might be able to help you," Mia suggested forcefully, trying to convey her annoyance.

"I do not know his name or his appearance," Isaac sighed helplessly, shifting to gain some level of comfort. "I only know the sound of his voice."

Mia puzzled over this momentarily; studying Isaac's determined eyes in concern. Slowly, she reached out and placed her hand on his cheek. Softly, she whispered, "I'm sorry, but why are you looking for this man?"

Isaac froze instantly, his entire body stiffening as his mind mulled over telling Mia the real reason that he was in Prox. The tingle of her warm hand on his cheek dulled as he stared up into her caring eyes, remarking for the first time at the beauty of the woman who was holding him down. "I must avenge my father's murder."

"Murder?" Mia repeated last part, her mind reeling from the new information.

"Yes, my father was murdered by one of the Mercury Syndicate's hit-men," Isaac averted his gaze, trying to move away. "He died protecting me and my mother, though she also died soon afterward."

"I'm sorry," Mia apologized as she stood up, kneeling beside Isaac. "I was just worried about your health."

"Its okay," Isaac sighed he tried to sit up, but a sudden wave of dizziness immediately made him regret the move. He smiled towards Mia trying to get her to cheer up. "Besides, you were right about me not needing to move."

Mia giggled lightly as she left the room and came back with two sets of blankets and pillows. She placed the first over Isaac, tucking him in gently before setting the second on the floor.

"Wait," Isaac tried to protest, but a quick wave of Mia's pale hand silenced him.

"I want to make sure that you won't run away on me," Mia took off her shoes and moved in between the blankets. She then turned to face Isaac, her friendly glare telling him to go to sleep.

"Yes ma'am," Isaac resigned himself to his caretaker's wishes, almost instantly falling into the steady rhythm of a peaceful slumber.

Mia stayed up for a long time after her ward had fallen asleep, studying his youthful face in a new light. Her eyes eventually started drooping however, sleep overtaking her steadily. The last thought that through her mind, set the mood for her dreams. 'His father was murdered by a member of the Mercury Syndicate.'

--

"Does the boy suspect the truth yet," the same sinister voice spoke to Alex from seemingly nowhere.

"No," Alex resumed his vigil in the alleyway, watching the house through the fence line. "And I suspect it will be the ultimate torture for him when he finds out."

--

"Are you sure we should have left them alone," Jenna asked her husband as they lounged in their living room, distracting Garet from his paper.

"Mia can handle herself," Garet pointed out, ruffling the paper outward to read a particular article. After finishing, he turned to his fiance, "They still haven't found the heir to Sun Corporation."

"You mean the one that is supposed to secretly run the Mercury Syndicate," Jenna knew where the conversation was going already. "Wasn't the president found dead a few days ago?"

"Yes," Garet reread the article, noting the description of the person they were searching for.

"Is there any other meaningful news?" Jenna asked, already knowing that not much else ever happened in the city.

"No, the same as usual," Garet turned the page to the comics section.

--

"Have you detected the target yet?" a short blonde man asked the blonde woman beside him, brushing the snow off of his business as they walked down the street. His violet eyes were unreadable as he waited for his partner's answer.

"No," the woman's jade eyes scanned past her small round glasses to the flickering computer screen in her palm. "The signal is being interrupted."

"Perhaps we should stop for the night, Sheba," the man pointed to the nearest hotel, already getting ready to cross the busy street.

"Alright, Ivan," the woman closed the casing of the palm-sized computer, following the man across the street.

--

Reviewer's Responses-

--

luner- Thanks for the review.

ukyo-loverboy- You find out why the Venus clan is hated later. Thanks for the review.

--

Seeya later.


	4. Wanderer

XD

**Wanderer**

Isaac awoke suddenly deep into the night, a light gasp the only noise to escape his mouth. Habitually he scanned his surroundings, taking in the small room with a trace of confusion. A burst of recognition flooded his mind, his memory reminding him to stay silent because of the warden that lay sleeping on the floor beneath him.

Carefully, Isaac moved from the bed, feeling the aches of his wounds. Still, he managed to stand on the cold wood floor, he was used to pain. So much of the training his father had put him through had paid off, even if it seemed odd at the time.

Using those skills he had honed in many of his childhood games, Isaac treaded the old boards. He managed to not make a single noise, paramount to not waking the resting Mia. Even the care he took in opening the door allowed him to exit the room unnoticed or so he thought.

Isaac left out into the cold Proxian air, feeling the cold wrack his lungs with each deep breath. He cursed his forgetfulness, realizing he had left his favorite scarf back in the room. Going back in would be risky though, so he continued forward, trudging through the snow out into Prox.

--

Very few businesses remained opened late at night in Prox. Any of the appropriate merchants closed down before the sun set. That left three powers to rule over the night market. Brothels, gambling and pubs, the three vices of lust, money and alcohol were the night game for the city. A particular bar always remained opened late, though it was not a popular spot.

A beautiful song rang out from that bar, the melodious singer's voice enticing any unwary traveler to enter the stairwell that led down to the bar's ancient wooden doors. The name of the old bar had long faded from its hanging sign. A winding green dragon was still visible on it though, reminiscent of old legends told of a serpent that would be defeated by mysterious heroes.

Inside, a tall man stood silently behind the bar, absently drying drinking glasses as he listened to the piano play. His long brown hair flowed down his light white dress shirt, not as long as the apron he wore to protect his front. His dark black pants rustled slightly as he moved to place down the glass behind the bar, his soft brown eyes resting on the singer after he finished.

The woman on the stage was beautiful, not only because of the shimmering violet dress. Her short lilac hair still captured his attention, even though they had been together for so long. Her dark purple eyes still shone with a deep intelligence, something that even now he was just beginning to fathom

Her sweet voice still reminded him of when he met her in the Fine Arts Center of Contigo University. Yet this was the future they were relegated to, out of a great many possibilities that held such promise. A bartender and his nightingale, such was the price of their love.

He didn't get much time to think of the past however. The piano had changed its tone, the somber timbre reflecting their dark times. His wife then parted from the stage, taking a reprieve before she would sing again.

She approached the bar gracefully, capturing his full attention as she set down tiredly before him. Her tone was sly when she ordered, "Felix, get me a water on the rocks."

"Very funny, Hama," Felix grinned as he fulfilled the order, making sure he put just the right amount of ice in the glass. There was no rule to say he couldn't excel in a job he didn't choose.

"The place is dead tonight," Hama observed as she sipped her water. There were only two occupied tables in the entire pub. Hama's voice turned to a whisper, "It's ominously quiet."

Felix leaned forward, using his eyes to point to one of the tables, "That's Piers Sherman. He's a doctor at one of the larger hospitals."

Hama barely moved to look, gazing at the man from the corner of her eye to remain unnoticed. The man was dressed nicely, a dark blue formal shirt contrasting with his black pants. However, his unsteady hand on a whiskey bottle revealed a man with a great many personal problems as he poured himself another drink. His jaded yellow eyes gazed into the liquid coldly, his hand only taking a moment to run through his long cerulean hair.

"He's a member of the Mercury Syndicate," Hama observed dryly, taking note of the teardrop pin that was attached to his pocket. It was not surprising, the Mercury Syndicate owned many medical supply companies.

"The man over there is Saturos Smith," Felix's eyes turned to the opposite side of the room, pointing out the solitary man. "He's the police chief for this district."

"Hopefully a war won't break out," Hama sighed, turning slightly to see the Proxian across the room.

The chief looked odd in his white police uniform, his shining badges easily drawing attention. His black police cap lay on the table, a flaming symbol of justice etched in its golden crest. In his light blue hands he held his empty glass, his red eyes closed in concentration.

"This will be a tough crowd to play to," Hama grinned as she finished her drink. The jovial music had resumed, allowing her only a moment to kiss Felix before returning to the stage.

Felix returned to his work as he listened to the exciting tune. He could see that his two patrons were not enjoying the music; however that was irrelevant this late at night.

His work was interrupted though, as the bar door swung open to the cold night air. A young blonde man entered the warm inviting pub, taking a seat naturally in front of the bar while ignoring Felix's stunned stare. Felix stood in silence for a moment, still holding his towel tightly. He could still hear Hama singing despite the blatant interruption.

"We don't serve milk here," Felix finally managed, referencing the man's obvious youth. "Why don't you go home."

"That's okay," Isaac grinned, taking the condescending insult in stride. He tossed a paper bill onto the bar. "What I want is information."

Felix looked up instinctually, noticing that the Proxian cop ears had pricked up. There were rumors that Proxians possessed superior hearing because of their pointed ears, but he didn't want to test their veracity now.

"Then go buy a newspaper," Felix pushed the money back toward the man, his tone clearly suggesting that Isaac should leave.

"The newsstands are closed," Isaac countered.

Felix leaned close, trying to keep the conversation from spreading further. He lowered his voice to a whisper, "look kid go ahead and ask, but I want you out of here right after."

I'm looking for Alex, of the Mercury Syndicate," he made no attempt to hide his voice, in spite of the delicate situation.

Felix could now see a conviction in the man's eyes, something that reminded him of a fire that had burned within him so long ago. It was something to respect, but in this situation is was not a beneficial trait.

A furtive movement from the left table signaled that the doctor had risen, the tall man taking strides toward the bar with careful precision. Felix could now see the strong build of the man, a warning to stray from conflict.

"You should be more careful about who you talk about, boy," Piers grasped Isaac's shoulder in a strong grip. "You never know who might be listening."

"Perhaps I want people to listen," Isaac shrugged his shoulder, forcing Piers to release him. He grabbed Piers wrist as he stood and turned, his presence epic as he forced the man to stare into the eyes of a person a full head shorter.

Felix quietly bemoaned the situation as he looked on, his eyes turning to Saturos for any sign of help. Unfortunately, the cold smile that graced his lips sent Felix the message that he would be the one to diffuse the conflict.

The music had stopped, a stark quiet permeating through the bar. Felix's mind raced as he watched the standoff, only realizing a few moments later that Hama was approaching the two, her gaze locked onto Isaac.

"Little Isaac," her voice caused Isaac to falter, a flash of surprise crossing his face. He released Piers when he recognized Hama, their confrontation becoming of lesser importance.

"Hama," Isaac mumbled at first, a flood of memories overcoming him.

Piers was left, forgotten in the background. A stern look from Felix signaled that he should exit the bar. Felix was certain however that it wasn't over. The Mercury Syndicate wouldn't forgive any transgression no matter how slight.

--

This is actually two pages shorter than my usual chapters, but it was a good place to cut off for dramatic tension. :D

Oddly enough, I recalled the plot for this story in my Russian history class, whole we were talking about Narodnichestvo (populism for you non-Russian historians.) I don't know why I had that sudden epiphany during that, but it was interesting. Fortunately this time I've written a vast character chart to encompass the plot.

On to review-

Yoru No Grim- Are you talking about Anton Chekov, the short story writer? I didn't know he was known for red herrings, and I don't want to have to ask my short story professor. --


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